Category Archives: Reupholstery

Here I am, back from Christmas with another few steps on my wingback chair. My chair had plywood fit into the gap on the outside wing, which saved me some webbing and lining fabric.

Step 1: Thanks to my jumping the gun on webbing, I had to re-web the outside arm (for instructions on webbing, see this post).

Step 2: After the webbing was in place, cut lining fabric and staple it over the webbing and other gaps, making sure to pull it taut.

Step 3: Cut thin layers of batting to size and use only a few staples to put these into place over the lining.

Step 4: Staple the welting along the back/outside wings. Cut the outside wing fabric to size and stapled the fabric to the welting. For me this was a trick at times since I didn’t have flexible metal tacking, which I would recommend for the curves that need stapling.

Step 5: Staple welting from front arm panel securely to the side of the arm.

Step 6: Place cardboard strip along the base of the arm roll. Push it as far up as possible to hide the lining and batting.

Step 7: Staple the cardboard strip into place.

When you pull the fabric down, the outside arm should look like this:

Step 8: Cut tacking strip (I used a cardboard tacking strip) to size, and place it tacks up beside the rail. It might take a few times to place it correctly. Pull the fabric down over the tacking strip, pushing the staples through. Flip the tacking strip over and make sure it is straight and all looks good. Then pound in using a rubber mallet. Be sure to go with the rubber as opposed to a regular hammer which will break down the fabric over the tacks. Repeat for the other side.

Step 9: Staple the fabric securely along the bottom of the chair.

I forgot to take a photo of the completed side, so the photo below is a current one with the rockers reattached.

I am really not as slow to reupholster this rocker as it seems, I’m just slow to put up these posts! I want to continue to divide the posts into steps so they are easily found.

Step 1: For the inside back of the wingback rocker (the part where your back will lean), I needed to extend the fabric a bit. So I sewed some scrap denim to the bottom of the fabric, the part that would tuck inside the chair and not show.

Step 2: Cut “Y” slits into the corners of the fabric so it will easily wrap around the chair posts.

Step 3: Place the fabric where it should go, tucking it in behind the chair deck and bringing the top over the back of the chair. Put one staple in to the middle of the back of the fabric so it will hold while you staple the bottom.

Step 4: Pull the fabric that has been tucked into the chair deck through the back of the chair, so it drapes over the bottom rail. Staple to the bottom rail. Trim excess fabric, if desired. It can also be tucked back up into the back of the chair.

Step 5: Staple the fabric to the chair back just below the padding. Stop stapling at the point where the fabric begins to bunch and you need a pleat. Be careful to watch the padding on the chair back, you don’t want the fabric to be pulled unevenly or too tight.

Step 6: Pleat the fabric crisply and staple over the top of the fold as you go. Mine had 3 pleats on each side.

Sorry for the long silence – Thanksgiving week was a bit crazy with all sorts of snow and travel and Thanksgiving and an early Christmas celebration. But here we are – week six, the wings!

Step 1: Pin the wing fabric on both sides of the chair, making sure the grain is aligned the way you want it. Using your chalk, draw a line around the arm where the welting seam will go. Sew the welting on along your line (more instructions on this in Step V).

Step 2: Put the wing fabric in place. Tuck the fabric in around the chair back and staple to inside of the back rail.

Step 3: Bring the wing fabric over the top of the chair and pleat/fold the fabric neatly in the back and staple.

Step 4: Staple the fabric to the side of the chair, directly below the padding. Add in crisp pleats where necessary, making sure to match them on both wings.

Step 5: Trim up your fabric and cut folds so they will lay flat, and you are done with the wings!